


Paper-Mache

by sabinelagrande



Category: X-Men Movieverse, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-28 04:05:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/303544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabinelagrande/pseuds/sabinelagrande
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On masks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paper-Mache

"I have no intention of harming you, Charles," Erik says, leaning back against a console in the tiny room that he's being held in. "On the contrary, I very much need you alive and undamaged at the moment."

Charles has stopped tugging against the bonds around his wrists and ankles; he's also stopped struggling against whatever dampener it is that's keeping him away from his power. His team is not far away, and it won't do him any good to be exhausted when it's time for them to escape.

"Your sister sends her regards, by the way," Erik tells him, pushing off and pacing slowly in front of him. "She was at your aunt's funeral, but, for obvious reasons, she couldn't say hello."

"How nice of her," Charles says, dryly.

Erik stops. "Come now, Charles," he says. "Must you be so short with me? We so rarely have the occasion to talk anymore."

"I can't imagine why that would be, Erik," he replies.

"Perhaps we should do it more often," Erik offers. "Do you still play chess?"

"Isn't that what we're doing now?" Charles says.

Erik smiles. "There's the Charles I remember."

"I remember you," he says, looking at Erik, his gaze piercing. "I used to know you, Erik."

Erik grins. "Biblically, as I recall."

"You're not like this inside, this flippant and cruel," he presses. "I know that you're not. You can fool everyone else, but you never could fool me." He sighs. "This is all a mask, Erik. It isn't the man you really are. I know you know that."

"Of course I know," Erik replies, dismissively. "If it's a mask, then who do you think crafted it?" He sighs. "But one day, Charles," he says. "One day, I had a realization." He smiles to himself. "I realized I liked the mask much better than the man."

Charles doesn't speak for a long moment. "I would tell you that it doesn't have to be like this," he says, "but somehow I know what you would say."

"You've told me that about a thousand times already, Charles," Erik says, looking at him fondly. "I just like to think of it as your way of saying 'I love you.'"

Charles looks him dead in the eye. "It doesn't have to be like this."


End file.
